Switch



March l0, 1925.

Filed June 17 i 44 Uni-jin? 'ff" R HUFF SWITCH lllllllllln Unoauto/ 'Russell Huff Patented Mar. 10, 1925*.

A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUSSELL HUFF, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR `T0 DODGE BROTHERS, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAIL/ A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

Application ledgnne 17, 1821. Serial No. 478,228.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, RUSSELL HUFF, :i citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches, of which the following is a clear, full, and exactl description.

This invention relates toelectric switches, and particularly to switches of the type adapted to be linstalled in motor vehlcles for the operation of the horn or for sinnlar purposes.

A particular object of the resent invention is to provide a switch or location at the upper end of the steering shaft of the motor vehicle, substantially at the center of the steering wheel, which is simple, cornpact and durable in construction, whlch is so constructed and so arranged with respectto the steering shaft and steering column that itA is not liable'to get out. of order either mechanically or electrically, and which, furthermore, is Vso constructed and arranged that it adds very little to the work of assembling inthe chassis assembly lme.

Other objects and important features of the invention will appear from the following description and claims when considered in connect-lon with the accompanying drawin s, in which- 'i ig. 1 is a Vertical section, party broken away, through the upper end of a steering column, steering shaft and steering wheel of a motor vehicle in which the present invention is embodied, the switch being shown in closed condition;

Fig.- 2 is a detail of the section shown in Flg. 1 showing the switch in open condition; i

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is ai section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through the radial plunger member of the switch and the attached s ring, illustrating thel mode of connecting t e spring to the radial plunger; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the insulating support for the annular contact member of the switch.

the shoulder 14 on said shaft on which the steering wheel 8 rests, and a plunger 16 having a conical lower end 18, somewhat rounded at its apex, is arranged to move lengthwise of this bore, this plunger having at its upper end a'push button 20 whichA may be of the usual material of which push buttons are made, and having a shoulder 22 within the hollowed portion of a nut 24 which is threadedupon the upper end of the steering shaft and adapted to clamp the steering wheel 8 upon said shaft. The shoulder 22 is normally pressed against the upper wall of the cavity within the nut 24 by a spring 26 located between said shoulder and the up er end of the steering shaft, the nut 24, t erefore, serving as a stop tol limit the upward movement of the plunger under the action of the spring 26.

Cooperating with the plunger 16 is a radially movable plunger 28 guided in a radial bore in the shaft 4 which communicates with the axial bore 12, this radial plunger extending through a spring 30 and being headed over upon the spring at 32 to form a contact member adapted to engage an annular contact member 34 surrounding the steering shaft 4 and embedded in an insulating support 36 by which it is insulated from the steering column and the steering shaft. As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the spring 30 extends perhaps three-quarters of the way around the steering shaft 4, preferably being confined within an annular groove 38 in said shaft. This permits the plunger with the attached spring to be sprung into positiion before the annular contact member 34 and its insulating support 36 are slipped into position over the shaft.

The insulating support 36 has .depending lugs 40 which enter recesses 42 in the upper end of the bearing 6, thereby holding the support 36 andthe contact member 34 from turning with the shaft 4. p

As above pointed out, the annular contact member 34 is insulated from the steering column and the steeri shaft by lts sup rt 36 and an electrica connect-ion 1s ma e with this contact member in the manner shown in Fig. 3, the wire 43 from the source of current supply being clamped in a socket in the contact member by a set screw 44.

In the form of the invention shown in F ig. 1 of the drawin s, the wire 43 1s carried down the outsi e of the steering c olumn 2, being held thereon by clips 47 which may be fastened to the column 1n any suitable manner. l

From the foregoing description the operation of the device will be readily understood. When the parts are in the pos1t1on shown in Fig. 2 depression of the lunger 16 by pressure of the ngerupon t e button 20 at its upper end will cause its conical lower end 18 to en age the anti-friction ball 62 in the end o the radial plunger 28 and forceY the plunger 28 outward until its contact head 32 engages the annular contact member 34, thus grounding the circuit through the shaft and steering column.

As above pointed out, the horn or other device to be operated from the switch may have one terminal connected to thev wire 43 and its other terminal connected to the battery, the other side of the battery .being grounded. Groundin of the c1rcu1t 1n the manner just describ tends, therefore, to operate the horn or other device thus connected.

It will be noted that the anti-friction ball 62 is ,confined in a socket 64 drilled into the end of the plun er 28, the edges of the socket being turne in to retain the ball in the socket.

What I claim as new is- 1. In a switch for use with motor 'vehicles, the combination with the steering shaft, of an annular contact member sur. rounding said shaft and insulated therefrom, means movable laterally in said shaft for engagin said contact member and means exten ing to the upper end of said shaft and movable lengthwise thereof for effecting the lateral movement of said first mentioned means.

2. In a switch adapted to be mounted upon the steering shaft and steering column of a motor vehlcle, a'plunger in the axis of the steering shaft, a second plunger coacting with said axial plunger andjmovable radially in said steering shaft, an annular contact member op osed to the` ath of swing of said radia plunger with t e steerin shaft, and means ieldingly holding said raial plunger out o contactwith sald annular member. y v

3. In a switch for use with motor vehicles, the combination with a steering shaft, 'of co-acting plungers guided respectively axially and radlally in said shaft, af stationary annular contact member surrounding said shaft and opposed to the path of swing of said radial plunger, and means for yieldingly maintaining said radial plun er out of contacting relation tosaid annu ar contact member, one of said contacting artsl being insulated from the steering sha t.

4. In a switch adapted to be mounted on` the steering shaft and steerin post of a motor vehicle, a radially Inova le plunger carried in said steering shaft. an annular contact member opposed to the path of swing of said radial plunger with the shaft, and means co-axial with the shaft for effecting the radial movement of said plunger into contact with said annular member.

5. Ina switch adapted to be carried by the steering mechanism of a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering shaft of a plunger movable radially in said shaft, means operable from the upper end of said shaft for effecting the radial movement of said plunger, a circuit terminal insulated from said shaft and opposed to the path of swing of said radial plunger, and means for normally keeping said circuit terminal and plunger separated.

6. In a switch for useupon the steering mechanism of a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering wheel, steering shaft, steering column and a nut for holding the steering wheel upon the steering shaft, of a plunger guided axially in the steering shaft and extending through said nut and having a stop shoulder within said nut whereby the nut limits the upward movement of said plunger, a circuit terminal surrounding said shaft and insulated therefrom and means carried by said shaft and operated by the movement of said plunger longitudinally of said shaft for grounding said circuit through said shaft.

7. In a switch adapted to be mounted upon the steering shaft and steering column of a motor vehlcle and centrally with respect to the steering wheel, a plunger movable in the axis of the steering shaft and adapted to extend to a point below the steering wheel, a second plunger movable radially in the steerin shaft below said steering wheel, an annu ar contact member 8. In a switch for use with motor veother, and means for yieldingly maintaining 10 hioles, the combination with the steering said radial plunger out of engagement with shaft and the steering column, of cao-actin said Contact member. plungers .guided respectively axially an Signed at Detroit, Mich., this 10th day 5 radially in said shaft, an annular Contact of June 1921.

member surrounding said shaft and op- RUSSELL HUFF. posed to the path of swing of said radial Witnesses: plunger, anti-friction means carried by one WM. E. SHOEMAKER,

of said plungers for engagement with the ALFRED H. KNIGHT. s 

